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By Joe KayAssociated Press • Wednesday September 5, 2012 5:04 AM

Enlarge ImageRequest to buy this photoAl Behrman | Associated PressThe Phillies’ Jimmy Rollins, right, and Chase Utley complain after the Reds’ Wilson Valdez was called safe stealing second in the first inning.

CINCINNATI — Jay Bruce is back to reacting to pitches instead of thinking about what’s coming. And when he gets on a surge like this one, the outcome is predictable.

He hits home runs in bunches.

The right fielder homered for the third straight game last night, a two-run shot that sent the Cincinnati Reds to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Manager Dusty Baker gave Bruce a couple of days off during the last trip to try to clear his head and get himself out of a slump. Bruce’s hitting tears tend to last for several weeks, followed by deep slumps.

The days off helped.

“That let me take a step back mentally and realize a couple of things,” Bruce said. “I just needed to quit thinking so much.”

Bruce’s 31st homer, in the sixth inning, ended a four-game winning streak by Kyle Kendrick (8-10), who gave up six hits in six innings. Bruce has homered in four of his past five games since his time off.

“That was just to let him get his head together,” Baker said. “You hate to sit a guy, but whatever works.”

Mat Latos (12-4) gave up one run — on a bases-loaded walk — and four hits in seven innings.

Left-hander Aroldis Chapman gave up a walk and struck out two while getting his 35th save in 39 chances. Chapman has converted 27 straight save opportunities since June 24, a franchise record. The victory evened the season series at three games apiece. Philadelphia has been one of Cincinnati’s toughest opponents, winning nine of the teams’ past 12 games. The Phillies have won their season series each of the past seven years.

Cincinnati’s surge into playoff position has attracted larger crowds to Great American Ball Park. The Reds topped 2 million in season attendance last night, the earliest they have reached the mark since the park opened in 2003.

Latos, the Reds’ biggest offseason acquisition, was in the middle of all the early action. He got picked off third base by catcher Erik Kratz in the third inning, ending a rally. He then helped the Phillies pull ahead 1-0 in the fourth because of his control problems.

Philadelphia loaded the bases when Chase Utley doubled, Latos hit Ryan Howard on the arm and John Mayberry Jr. walked with one out. Latos then walked Domonic Brown — in an 0-for-18 slump — on four pitches to force in a run. Nate Schierholtz followed with a sinking liner that center fielder Drew Stubbs appeared to catch on the short hop. The Phillies saw first-base umpire Chris Guccione immediately rule it a catch, confusing the runners. Stubbs threw to second base to complete a double play.

“Basically, our runners, they got all messed up,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “They got all confused. They didn’t know where to go. It was a bad break. We could have had a hit there and a run for sure. It’s kind of how things go for us, huh?”